The present invention relates to wheeled luggage and, in particular, to wheeled luggage that is light in weight and can be partially collapsed for easier storage.
Generally, wheeled luggage is constructed with a frame and wall system that makes it into a box having five rigid sides. The frame and wall system is enclosed by a body of a flexible material, usually a fabric. The sixth side has a panel that is usually flexible and is zippered along three edges to provide access to the box. The frame usually has top and bottom pansxe2x80x94so-named for their xe2x80x9cpan shapexe2x80x9d with a base and edge flangesxe2x80x94that are molded from a rigid durable plastic and are coextensive with the top and bottom walls. Parallel tubes that receive the legs of a U-shaped towing bar join the top and bottom pans. The bottom pan supports wheels. Side stiffener panels, which are coextensive with the sides of the body, and a back panel are joined to the flange portions of the top and bottom pans.
Like most xe2x80x9cold-fashionedxe2x80x9d hand-carried luggage, modern wheeled luggage of the type described above is strong and durable and serves its purpose very well. It has the additional advantage of being easy to move by towing it on its wheels. Full-framed luggage, either with or without wheels, has the disadvantages of being relatively heavy, in large part because of the frame and stiffener panel system, and of occupying a large amount of space when stored.
An object of the present invention is to provide wheeled luggage that is light in weight and is partially collapsible. Another object is to provide wheeled luggage that is easy to assemble.
Throughout the present specification, the terms xe2x80x9ctop,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cbottom,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cback,xe2x80x9d front,xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9csidesxe2x80x9d are used for convenience with reference to the item of wheeled luggage standing upright with the wheels resting on the floor and the zippered panel of the body oriented vertically and facing the observer.
The objects referred to above are attained, in accordance with the present invention, by luggage that includes a frame having a top pan, a bottom pan, and a pair of spaced-apart parallel towing bar-receiving tubes joining the top pan to the bottom pan in spaced-apart relation and a body of flexible material fitted to the frame and having a top wall, a bottom wall, side walls, a front wall and a back wall, the walls being interconnected to form an enclosure to receive articles. The top pan and the bottom pan have front edges that are spaced apart from the front wall of the body. The frame and body are free of elements along the top wall, bottom wall and the side walls that inhibit folding of the top wall, bottom wall and the side walls along fold lines intermediate the front wall and back wall so that front portions of the top wall, bottom wall and the side walls are foldable toward the back wall to enable the front wall to be collapsed toward the back wall to substantially reduce the volume of the enclosure formed by the body.
The luggage, as described above, is significantly lighter in weight than previously known luggage, taking into account the size, inasmuch as the top and bottom pans of luggage according to the invention extend only part way from the back toward the front, the front edges being spaced apart from the front wall, and at least parts of the conventional side wall stiffening panels are not present so that the front part of the body can collapse toward the back. The frame and stiffener panel system of a bag according to the invention also lacks many fasteners that are present in previously known luggage to join the frame and panels.
The ability to collapse the body considerably reduces the volume needed to store the luggage and makes it possible to store it conveniently in places that are usually not suitable, such as under beds, on closet shelves and even in bureau drawers.
In preferred embodiments, the top pan has a top web portion engaged by a rear portion of the top wall of the body and having a front edge that is spaced apart from a juncture of the top wall with the front wall of the body and is coextensive laterally with the top wall of the body. The top wall of the body is joined to the top pan by a flap on the top wall that extends at least partway along the front edge of the top pan, is received under the top portion of the top pan, and is secured to the top portion of the top pan by a releasable fastener, such as a strip of hook and loop fastener. The bottom pan has a bottom portion engaged by a rear portion of the bottom wall of the body and having a front edge that is spaced apart from a juncture of the bottom wall with the front wall of the body and is coextensive laterally with the bottom wall of the body. The body is joined to the bottom pan by a flap on the bottom wall that extends at least partway along the front edge of the bottom pan, is received on top of the bottom portion of the bottom pan, and is secured to the upper side of the bottom portion of the bottom pan by a releasable fastener, such as a strip of hook and loop fastener. The flaps on the top and bottom walls that secure them to the pans permit the body to be fitted to the frame and held in proper position while subsequent assembly steps are carried out and also aid in keeping the body properly and securely fitted to the frame even after various fasteners and panels that hold the body on the frame are installed.
The fold lines along which the side, top and bottom walls fold, preferably, lie substantially in a plane that is parallel to the bar-receiving tubes of the frame. The plane of the fold lines may be a plane defined by the front edges of the top and bottom pans. With that structure, the body collapses uniformly from front to back. The plane of the fold lines may be about midway between the front wall and rear wall of the body.
As an optional but desirable feature, the luggage may include a side stiffener panel substantially coextensive with a rear portion of each of the side walls of the body rearwardly of the fold line. Also, a rear stiffener panel substantially coextensive with the rear wall of the body may be provided inside the back wall of the body.
In order to facilitate packing the luggage, a foldable stiffening panel joined to the frame for pivotal movement between a folded-up position and a position in which a front edge of the foldable stiffening panel is detachably secured to a front portion of the bottom wall of the body can be provided to hold the bottom wall of the body extended to make access to the interior easier. The foldable stiffening panel also provides additional stability to the bottom of the luggage item so that it can rest upright on the bottom.
To advantage, each of the bar-receiving tubes may be secured by a fastener to the bottom pan and joined to the top pan by reception in sockets associated with the top pan without any fasteners. The top pan is held in place with the tubes seated in the sockets by tension in the body of the luggage. The elimination of fasteners at the tops of the tubes, except for the screws that attach the bezel to the top pan, facilitates assembly and saves a little weight.
For a better understanding of the invention and the advantages it provides, reference may be made to the following description of an exemplary embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.